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sawtooth

(Science: radiobiology) When a tokamak runs with enough current to achieve q < 1 on the magnetic axis, the plasma parameters (n, T, B) oscillate with a sawtooth waveform. The oscillation is localised to a region roughly within the q=1 surface, and arises from internal magnetohydrodynamic effects. Confinement is degraded within the sawtooth region.